#6 Film Critique

FILM CRITIQUE
Redbelt (2008)
Witten/Directed by David Mamet

While a documentary or a piece of literature can justifiably be character-based and character-driven narrations, a film demands more craftiness in the juxtaposing of the pictures, ultimately called “cuts” in film jargon, that move the story along in the most captivating manner. If the sequence of these shots progress in a most logical and informational way, the audience is likely put to sleep because they are simply provided with more information than they ask for. Mr. Mamet has always had a philosophy of film-making that demands straight-to-the-point sequences, focusing not on expanding on the character but focusing on what the character wants—and ultimately, that is what the audience wants. He makes each “act” in his film focus on the habitual actions, or ultimately what he believes as character, and rightly so.

Redbelt begins with Brazilian jujitsu trainer Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) teaching an advanced class in his studio, located in Los Angeles. He has developed a special philosophy for a sparring match—three marbles, two white and one black, are drawn by the two fighters, and the one who draws the black marble gets a handicap in the fight, something like an arm or both arms bound to the body. Through this practice, he hopes to get the point across that it is not the one with an arm bound who has the handicap but the one who underestimates the opponent because of it. He firmly believes that there is no bad situation where one cannot escape from. As the film progresses, it can be observed from his many behaviors and choices of action that he holds strong ground for his moral standards and value assumptions. He does not believe in competition but rather that his craft is used for defense.

However, bad things happen, as they always do in any dramatic structure, whether they are coincidental or planned. After a series of heart-breaking double crossing by a promising-to-help film maker and producer, whom he protected in a bar-fight scenario, Mike’s original monetary issue elevates to monetary crisis, and his training philosophy is stolen without acknowledgement or royalty paid to him. Worse yet, his wife, feeling the financial stress, is part of the plan that betrays him for money. The conflict is elevated to the max when his black-belt student, Joe (Max Martini), commits suicide in an effort to protect the honor of his teacher. Mike’s philosophy that was established in the beginning of the film comes back to haunt him—he may have been able to escape from any kind of arm lock, but can he escape from this much more permanent and real situation? In a final battle, he wins honor and respect from the great Brazilian master himself, but not much can be certain beyond this point.

According to Mr. Mamet’s ideal film formula, the story begins with chaos and ends with order, and the process is the restoration of such order. Unfortunately, although in this film I feel great chaos at the beginning, with some things clearing up during the process, the ending is still a chaotic and ambiguous one, and it is not one of those artistic and beautiful imagination-provoking ambiguities. There comes no resolution in terms of Mike’s financial status, no restoration of the great chaos that he has caused, and no entailment of what consequences the double-crossers may need to pay because of the protagonist’s righteous and courageous actions. The audience (or me at least) is left in a speechless gaze at the screen that should be showing all these but instead have credits rolling too prematurely.

Despite the ambiguous ending debate, my impression of the movie is largely positive. It is one of those films where the story and the super-objectives of each act dominate audience attention. Each scene mainly consists of concise cuts that convey the idea of each sequence in the least informational way—the audience gets the idea but is not bored by the overbearing narrative or blank-filling. The way this movie is planned out and edited proves efficient to communicate the plot and intriguing as a dramatic structure.

Chiwetel Ejiofor shines as the acting protagonist. This British actor delivers his lines quite well, even though the lines he delivers are often put under trial as to whether they live up to his standards. Ejiofor simply has a pleasurable atmosphere to him, whether it is his poised physique or that gentle yet unfathomable psyche. His immense yet calming presence resonates with the overall tone of the movie well, which should be a big point scored by the casting director. With this addition of a brilliant actor, the lack of prominence in the sets and other technical aspects of the film seem neglectable. After all, the film presents the story in a way that left little spaces for the audience and critic alike to wonder their minds off to other things.


Overall Grade: B
Story: B-
Acting: B+ (If there was only Mr. Ejiofor, I would have given an A)
Directing: A-
Visuals: B-